


Bring Me Back to Hell

by SniperMoran



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Drabble, M/M, Post-Hogwarts, Return to Grimmauld Place, Starbucks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-24
Updated: 2018-02-24
Packaged: 2019-03-23 06:39:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13781883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SniperMoran/pseuds/SniperMoran
Summary: All of those from the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black are gone....all, save for Sirius Black.Years he's been free from the shackles of that House, but he's the last and the House has fallen into his possession.The Order need a new base of operations for future threats.





	Bring Me Back to Hell

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SmutWithPlot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmutWithPlot/gifts).



A groaning, creaking sound echoed down the hall as the door opened, shedding dim light from the street-lamps into the dust cloud that hung in the house. The long shadow of a man filled the space, the light dancing around it, trying to weasel its way into the dark depths of the abandoned place.  
“Hello, hell,” the man breathed, leaning against the doorframe for a moment as he hesitated to enter that awful place.

Years he’d been trapped there, within these walls, freedom waiting for him just the other side of the door, but so far out of his reach. Years he’d suffered in the darkness that still clung to this house like the vines that clung to brick, eating their way through and poisoning the foundation they held to.  
He’d been free; he’d gotten away and found himself a life, but still his past caught up with him in ways he never expected and he’d found himself here once again, entering through that door into the mouth of the beast—

“Sirius? You going to go in, or are we just going to stand about here in the middle of this muggle neighborhood?” a voice called from behind the one draped in shadows. The voice pulled the shadowed man—Sirius—from his thoughts and he turned, putting on a grin that was clearly forced.  
“Right, sorry. Reminiscing; you know how it i—“ his voice died away when he looked down the steps to see the rather blasé expression that looked up at him behind circular glasses.  
“You don’t have to pretend to enjoy this, Si; but no one’s left, so the responsibility of this place falls to you,” the bespectacled man said, his voice soft and rather soothing as he climbed a few steps to take Sirius’ hand in his own well-worked hands. “Can’t be easy coming back here, after all this time…if you don’t want to go in, I could—“  
“No.”  
The other stopped, raising a brow as he paused in his move to make his way past Sirius through the door. The expression held many unspoken questions and Sirius sighed, shaking his head, shaggy curls whipping gently against his face.  
“I have to do this, James. We’re just looking for anything important and then…I don’t care what comes of this place. I’d burn it down, if I hadn’t already tried that years ago…” he huffed and ran his fingers through his hair, giving the other man—James—a rather cheesy grin. “Nearly managed it, too. That was the year I was late coming back to school,” he snickered lightly, pushing past the doorway and finally entering the hall beyond, a shiver running through his body, quickly snatching that grin from his lips and the sound from his throat.  
“Padfoot…” came James’ gentle voice, a hint of worry to it as he too crossed the threshold into hell. “…maybe we should’ve brought Moony with us, mm?” he asked, absently pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he glanced around himself.  
He’d only ever been inside of Grimmauld Place once, when he was much, much younger. Back before the Potter’s had been branded as blood traitor’s in their own right and banned from any of the gatherings that took place here within these walls.  
He wished he could say it had been in far better condition when he’d seen the place previously, but…  
“Really is rather a shit-hole…” he muttered, throwing a sideways glance towards his companion who still had yet to make another sound or movement since they had both stepped inside.

Sirius’ thoughts were racing, and he could feel his blood running cold. He’d sworn to himself that he would never return to this place, that once he had been free, that would be it. He would never return and he would never regret that.  
Yet here he was, of his own volition…returning to this vile place.  
“I hate this…” he breathed absently, his voice choking slightly as he spoke aloud. His gaze was straight ahead, on the curtain that covered a portrait, just barely within the distance that the light reached. “There’s nothing here that’s worth this, there can’t be…” he added softly, though his feet did not budge from the spot where he’d planted them.  
He swore James could probably hear his heart pounding away as it was, even with his less sensitive hearing. What had he been thinking, agreeing to come back here and set things up so the Order could have a base of operations? Why had he offered this place? Why hadn’t he just stayed—

“/Sirius/!” James’ voice broke over the flooding of his thoughts and he focused in again, blinking a few times before realizing he was on the ground. James was holding his shoulders, shaking him gently as hazel eyes searched his face and a worried expression marred his usually perfect face.  
“That’s it. We’re leaving and going back home. This is /stupid/ and isn’t worth it. I’ll bring Remus here, and he and I will clean up this place. Maybe we can call in Lils, too, if she’ll come round, hm?” With gentle hands, James lifted Sirius’ chin so that their eyes could meet, so that he could search those cloudy grey eyes and see—really /see/—if his partner in crime was alright.  
“Listen to me, Siri…it’s fine, you know? It’s fine that you couldn’t—…some demons are a bit too much to conquer in one go. Maybe, with reinforcements, you can give it another go. /Or/, when Remus and I have this place cleaned up, you can try again when it doesn’t look like…/this/—“ he gestured with one of his hands to the space around them, “—in here. …Let’s get home. How’s a bath sound?” A small smile tugged at the corner of James’ lips; he was really trying. Doing his best to make this easier on Sirius, to show him that it would all be okay, even if it wasn’t okay right now, it /would/ be, and that’s what mattered.

Without a word, Sirius leaned forward against James, resting his head on the other man’s chest. Dark hair fell around his face in a sort of protective curtain as the waves of emotion that he’d been holding back finally took over him. Warm tears dripped from his eyes, down his face and to the floor between them.  
No words were spoken as James’ helped Sirius to his feet, turning them away from the curtained portrait.

Number 12 Grimmauld Place melted away behind them as they left, disappearing as 11 and 13 closed into the space as if 12 never existed in the first place. Once clear of the buildings, and any possible lines of sight, both men vanished in a snap, leaving the cold air to hang in silence once again over the slumbering street.

Safely home, James led Sirius up the stairs and to their bedroom, where he proceed to help him out of his dusty clothes, opting to toss them into the hamper. Silence still hung between them, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence; it wasn’t the first time they conversed with no words at all…  
With both men bare, James left Sirius in the bedroom to start the bath, returning momentarily to grab his partners hand, gesturing with a movement of his head towards the bathroom before giving his hand a gentle tug.  
Sirius obliged and trudged after James, allowing himself to be led to the tub.  
“You going to get in of your own free will or am I going to have to carry you in?” James asked, finally breaking the mutual silence between them, wearing that easy smile of his again as he glanced to Sirius, who was staring at the water of the tub.  
“…would it be awful of me to—Ah! James!” Sirius yelped as James scooped him up rather easily and stepped into the tub, sinking into the warm water with Sirius wrapped in his arms. Giving an indignant huff, to hide the embarrassment he always felt whenever James showed off his strength and picked Sirius up, the pouting man leaned back again his partner and let out a breath.  
“Just when we thought it was all over…” he muttered softly, letting his eyelids slip closed.  
“I know, Si, I know…” he whispered, running his fingers along the other man’s chest, tracing over ink that covered scars. “One day at a time…”

“Yeah…one day at a time…"

**Author's Note:**

> It's the first time I've spent the night in my childhood bedroom in years, so I was prompted by @SmutWithPlot to write about it through Sirius.


End file.
